Cissy Houston 'Devastated' Over Whitney's Death

Cissy Houston, the mother of singer Whitney Houston, opened up to the media Monday, saying that she is "devastated" by her daughter's death.

Whitney Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday. The 48-year-old singer was scheduled to attend Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala that day at the hotel. She was reportedly found face down in a bathtub in her suite by a member of her entourage.

"We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney," Cissy Houston, the gospel and soul singer, said in a statement received by OnTheRedCarpet.com. "This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly."

Since Whitney Houston's death was announced, fans worldwide have been pouring out tributes via social media and creating makeshift memorials.

Cissy Houston's statement noted that she appreciated the "outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends."

Reports are that Cissy Houston, 78, spoke to her daughter about 30 minutes before her death. TMZ also reported that Whitney Houston also spoke to her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, hours before her death.

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Authorities have said Whitney Houston was pronounced dead around 3:55 p.m. Saturday., TMZ reported that several prescription drug bottles were found at the scene, but few pills were recovered and that it is likely the singer suffered a heart attack as a result of her medication. No official cause of death has been released at this time and the results of toxicology tests could take about six to eight weeks.

Whitney Houston had battled drugs and alcohol for years. She recently returned to rehab last May. The singer was spotted at a Los Angeles night club two days prior to her death.

Her ex-husband, Bobby Brown, was at a New Edition event in Mississippi the day she died. He reportedly openly cried on stage and said he was "deeply saddened" at her passing. He has asked for privacy for himself and his daughter Bobbi Kristina, the only child he shares with the dead singer.

Bobbi Kristina was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital on Sunday and treated for stress and anxiety, according to reports. She has since been released. 

"My daughter did visit with doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles," Brown told People.com. "She has been released and is presently with my family including her siblings. .... Obviously the death of her mother is affecting her. However we will get through this tragedy as a family."

Houston and Brown married in 1992, but their troubled marriage ended in divorce in 2007.

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